Ernie Els received the 2018 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America at a ceremony (pictured below) on 6 February.

The award, the GCSAA’s highest honour, was presented to Ernie for his charitable work in co-founding with his wife Liezl (pictured above) The Els for Autism Foundation and also in 1999 establishing The Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation based in his homeland of South Africa.

The OTM Award has been presented annually since 1983 to an individual, who through a lifetime commitment to the game of golf, has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris. Morris, a four-time Open Championship winner, was the longtime superintendent at St Andrews in Scotland until his death in 1908. Past winners of the award include Arnold Palmer, Gerald Ford, Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Byron Nelson, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Ben Crenshaw, Ken Venturi, Nancy Lopez, Peter Jacobsen and Annika Sorenstam.

“I am honored and humbled to be asked to receive the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association,” said Els. “As I have grown in my involvement with the game of golf, from professional golfer to golf course designer, I have come to value more and more the role of golf course superintendents. They are as vital to this game as ever, and as vital to this game as anyone.”

Known as the Big Easy because of his stature and fluid golf swing, Els has 70 professional career wins and is a former No. 1 ranked player who spent a record 788 weeks ranked in the top-10 in the world. He won his first major championship, the U.S. Open, at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 1994 and went on to win another U.S. Open in 1997 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. He also won two Open Championships, in 2002 and 2012, and was the European Player of the Year in 1994, 2002 and 2003.

But Els’ significant on-course accomplishments took a secondary role in his life when he learned in 2009 that his son Ben was on the autism spectrum. This diagnosis drove the Els family to lead funding for a $30-million Center of Excellence for Autistic children, which opened for 300 students in 2015 in Florida (pictured below). The Center offers professional and medical resources, therapy and education to help autistic children grow to lead full adult lives.

“Years from now people may remember me as a golfer and a major champion. But I’d like to be remembered as somebody who took the issue of autism and did something with it,” said Els. “This is a lifelong pursuit, to help individuals on the spectrum realize their full potential while helping them to lead positive, productive and rewarding lives. It’s something that Liezl and I are truly passionate about and will be devoted to for many, many years to come.”

Els has rallied his business partners and everyday golfers to the cause since 2010, introducing a Golf Challenge series where fundraising is as important as a team’s final score. Els and his wife, Liezl, have also donated millions of their own money to the cause.

“He’s got his head screwed on right,” his long-time friend and fellow World Golf Hall-of-Famer Nick Price once said. Els has generously given of his time, and it has been noticed. He was named one of the Top 5 Most Positive Athletes in the World in 2010 by the United Nations NGO Voting Academy, which comprises a panel from national groups such as Rotary International and Pathways to Peace. Els also received a Jefferson Foundation Award the following year as a professional athlete in service.

In the world of golf, his list of humanitarian honors is even longer. He received the Charles Bartlett Award in 2010 from the Golf Writers Association of America for unselfish contributions to society, the Winnie Palmer Award from the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association for unselfishly giving to those less fortunate through his work on behalf of autism, and the Payne Steward Award in 2015 from the PGA Tour in recognition of his character, charity and sportsmanship.

“By any measure, Ernie Els is one of the greats of the game, and it is the distinct privilege and honor of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to recognize this industry giant for all he has accomplished on and off the golf course,” said Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “He elevates the human spirit in all of us to be better people and a more compassionate society.”

About GCSAA and the EIFGThe Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter. Visit our industry-leading magazine at GCMonline.com. The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org. or find us on Facebook or Twitter.